How NL West Runs Through Boston After Rafael Devers Red Sox-Giants Trade

Time to jump into the wayback machine. In fact, let’s go all the way to 1962 and the release of the blockbuster film “How the West Was Won.”

The cast reads like a who’s who of Hollywood heavy hitters: John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Gregory Peck, James Stewart, Karl Malden, Eli Wallach and Debbie Reynolds.

The film earned eight Academy Award nominations and won three Oscars.

If “How the West Was Won” doesn’t do it for you, then perhaps “Wild, Wild West” is more your speed. The 1999 film features Will Smith, Kenneth Branagh, Kevin Kline and Salma Hayek. Not quite as many A-listers, but you get the point: It takes a village.

This year, the wild, wild (National League) West will be won by the team best stocked by former members of the Boston Red Sox. That fact became clear following Sunday’s blockbuster Rafael Devers trade.

Again, look at this cast: Mookie Betts, Enrique Hernandez, Dave Roberts, Michael Kopech (Los Angeles Dodgers); Rafael Devers, Dominic Smith (San Francisco Giants); Xander Bogaerts, Nick Pivetta (San Diego Padres); Eduardo Rodriguez, Torey Lovullo (Arizona Diamondbacks).

The only NL West team without a strong Boston presence is the Colorado Rockies. And guess what? They’re in the cellar with an MLB-worst record of 17-57. Just saying.

The Dodgers currently sit in first place in the division. The defending World Series champions enjoy a 4 1/2-game lead over the Giants. The Padres are six back while the Diamondbacks are in fourth place, nine games back.

The teams which don’t win the division title are squarely in the mix for a National League wild card. San Francisco and San Diego rank second and third respectively in the wild card standings. Arizona is three games out for the third and final NL wild card.